Farmers Markets

Summer is finally here! Summer is a great time to head out and visit the farmer's markets for fresh local produce and products. The United States Department of Agriculture (2011), Farms, Land in Farms, the and Livestock Operations 2010 Summary stated that Ohio has 74,700 farms. Being environmentally friendly is a big issue these days. Many Americans recycle, use public transportation, and shop local to go green. But shopping local can also mean shopping at farmer's markets.

According to Sustainable Table, "a typical carrot has to travel 1,838 miles to reach your dinner table." That is a lot of traveling for a carrot. Maybe convenience isn't so convenient after all... when you factor in the cost of fuel. There is nothing like fresh summer produce. Luckily, we have a number of good farmer's markets right on our area.

To find more information about local farms, farmer's markets, and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) check out Local Harvest and America's Farmland Trust.

Local Farmer's Markets

Massillon Farmer's Market Saturdays, July 9 to October 8 (8:00 AM - 12:00 PM) located at the Massillon Parks & Recreation Department 505 Erie St North, Massillon, OH 44646

Canton Farmers' Market Saturdays, June 18 to October 15 (8:00 AM - 11:30 AM) located Cleveland Ave. N between 4th & 5th streets in NW Canton, OH 44702

Jackson Township Farmers' Market Thursdays, June 30 to September 29 (3:00 PM - 6:00 PM) located in North Park, 7660 Fulton Drive NW, Jackson, OH 44718

Canal Fulton Lion's Club Farmer's Market Thursdays July 7 to September 8 (4:00 PM - 7:00 PM) located St. Helena Heritage Park

Bumbleberry pie is a delicious way to use fresh berries from the farmer's market.

Bumbleberry Pie

Ingredients 2 c. Granny Smith Apples peeled, cored, and chopped
1 c. blackberries (fresh or frozen)
1 c. sliced strawberries
1 c. blueberries (fresh or frozen) 1 c. raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1 c. granulated sugar or Splenda Sugar Blend
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tapioca
1/2 beaten egg
1 tablespoon milk 1 sprinkle of sugar * for pie crust
1 package refrigerated pie crust * un-roll and bake

* If using frozen berries let them thaw out in the refrigerator before using.

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine apples, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and lemon juice. Mix gently. Add sugar, flour, tapioca to the fruit and mix gently.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside the mixture for 20 minutes to help dissolve tapioca.
4. Press pie crust in a 9 inch pie plate. Then add the fruit mixture. Top fruit mixture with pie crust. Trim and crimp the edges of pie crust together. Cut a few slits into the top of the crust to allow the steam to vent. Brush the top of the pie with a little milk and sprinkle with sugar.
5. Bake pie in pre-heated oven for 50 - 60 minutes, or until pie is bubbly in center and golden brown.

Serves 8

Underground River in Massillon, Ohio

Let's face it, the world is a unique place. For example, there is an underground river about 200 feet below the Tuscarawas River, in Massillon, Ohio. Yes, there is such a thing. It is the pre-glacial and inter-glacial remnants of the ancient Dover River.

Stout's (1943) Map of the Teays River Stage features the Dover River (p. 50).

An unidentified newspaper article titled, "There's water under Tuscarawas River, but it moves quite slowly" explained that the underground river is a result from "pre-glacial and inter-glacial water movement that eroded a channel into the bedrock (1966). In fact, the Dover River was also responsible for carving out the Cuyahoga Valley (Harris, 2004, 181). The river flowed from Cuyahoga County where it branched out into parts of Summit, Portage, Stark, Carroll, Medina, Tuscarawas, Harrison, Columbiana, and Belmont counties (Stout, 1943, 71).

Over time, the ancient river channel now below the Tuscarawas River became filled with silt, gravel, and sand. These layers of silt, gravel, and sand filling the channel are also known as an "aquifer," which causes the river to move only a "few feet per day" (1966). When the Dover River experiences periods of drought or water pumping from nearby industries the direction of the river could reverse (1966). The river came to an end during the time of the Pleistocene glaciation or Pleistocene Epoch about (2 million - 10,000 years ago) (Stevens, 19991, 15).

To learn more about the Dover River check out these resources.

References

(1966). "There's water under Tuscarawas River, but it moves quite slowly." Massillon Public Library Vertical File: Massillon Water Supply.

Harris, A. G. Tuttle, E., & Tuttle, S. D. (2004). Geology of national parks. (6th Ed). (Vol. 1). USA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co. Retrieved June 21, 2011, from Google Books.

Stevens, W. (1991). Ground water pollution potential of Stark County, Ohio. (Report 6). Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved June 21, 2011, from DNR.

Stout, W., Ver Steeg, K., & Lamb, G. F. (1943). Geological survery of Ohio: Geology of water in Ohio. (Fourth Series, Bulletin 44). Columbus: F. J. Heer Printing Co.